At the foot of the Pig!

I have had many delicieux meals so far in Paris.  The irony of this post is that I write it sitting in a “greasy spoon” of very poor quality and poor tasting food—tourist trap!  Cest la vie!
The subject of this post in NOT the one bad meal, but one spectacular meal I enjoyed last night!  The scallops I ordered for the main course were so perfectly seared that after I cut each one in half, I had to glare at the middle in awe at the perfection, prior to each bite!  It was an extended, glorious, extravagant meal!  The story of how I found this perfect and beautiful —and very French!— restaurant is amusing, and will follow.  First, the experience...the food!

Please click "Read More" link to right, belowslideshow...

I arrived well after midnight—another exciting tale about my trials and tribulations with wifi and Uber—even though I had planned to arrive around 11pm.  This restaurant français traditionnel was brightly lit, brightly decorated, and brightly full!  I was squeezed into a banquette between a quad and a couple who were frank (haha yes, pun!) with their stares, but welcoming with offerings of “Bon soir”, which I returned unabashedly.  The waiter attempted to offer my an English menu, but I requested one in Francois to peruse first, and again, test my translation skills —which were up to par excluding the translation of scallops.  

An important parenthetical here: the menu read “Noix de Saint-Jacques”, which literally translated means “the nuts of St. Jack”—ahem.  Perhaps scallops look like his nuts;, personally I cannot attest to the accuracy of this descriptive.  Whatever their appellation, they were exquisitely delicious and perfect!  Additional translation offers “scallops”, but personally —and no man-bashing from me— I prefer the nuts version. (le wink le wink le wink)!

Dining at a traditional French restaurant, I wanted an authentic French meal— experience and food.  I also wanted to take my time, as I always do, when eating or dining out. I started with a Kir Royal: French champagne (which he popped tableside) poured still bubbling and fizzy over Chambord.  I savored this aperitif and opportunity for relaxation (Finally! The previous few hours had been filled with stress about no wifi, which may seem silly, but with no way to order Uber or map my way about Paris, it was also alarming!).    Then, I ordered my meal...

To start, I slowly nibbled Croustillants de pieds de cochon et escargots, accompanied by Château Tour Léognan Bordeaux Pessac-Léognan (vin blanc), followed by the nuts and bolts of my meal (NO I cannot—will not—stop!), the aptly named Noix de Saint-Jacques, accompanied by a much better bottle (petit bottle!) of  Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Signature (vin blanc).  As a matter of —at least, by now— habit, I completed my degustation with Assortiment de fromages Marie Quatrehomme; a sharp, pungent, florid finale, which softened the harshness of a closing Cognac. :-). 

This is only a modest descriptive of my experience/meal... the details —and photographic reflections— are soon to come!